


Signal Signal

by palantine (yoshitsune)



Series: Spring and by Summer [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XIII
Genre: Age Difference, F/M, Podfic Available
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-20
Updated: 2010-03-20
Packaged: 2017-10-08 07:52:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/74362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yoshitsune/pseuds/palantine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Confused by Lightning's actions, Hope tries to figure out her intentions, and what he wants.<br/>! slight spoilers up to early chapter 11.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Signal Signal

**Author's Note:**

> Now also [available as a podfic](http://amplificathon.dreamwidth.org/1896831.html) thanks to the wonderful Rhea.

Hope couldn't get it off his mind—that brief moment when Lightning had cupped his chin and brushed her thumb over his lower lip. He'd tasted metallic sweat and smelled worn leather. And she'd done it in front of everyone else like it was only natural, and not even Snow had commented on it or teased them. Hope didn't know what to make of it.

In that second of contact his brand had throbbed warmly, reminding him of the confusing half-pain he had felt when Lightning had handled it earlier in the Whitewood. Hope couldn't forget the feeling of her teeth and tongue on his skin, and her eyes studying him like a curious hunter. That kind of unfamiliar attention had made his body hot all over, and he'd been torn between wanting to let her do whatever she wanted, and fearing what she might do.

Lightning was beautiful and so strong, and Hope knew he was nothing but a soft and pampered city boy. He didn't want to presume someone like her would be interested in him. Most of the time she acted bluntly and with roughness towards him, but since accepting him as a team member she had shown rare moments of tenderness; she had touched him gently, hugged him even. It made him smile to realise that she had done that only for him.

Hope could have accepted Lightning's growing kindness as the concern of an older sister, but he could sense a difference whenever Vanille hugged him. In the past he had fancied Vanille's attention meant something more. However, once she had been reunited with Fang it had become obvious that, to her, Hope really was no more than a little brother or friend. He supposed he should have been more disappointed by that than he was.

Maybe if he hadn't decided to follow Lightning, and hadn't gone through so much with her, he would have been disappointed.

In his back pocket, Hope could feel the survival knife Light had given him. He remembered how stupidly dissatisfied he'd been initially, but when Snow had seen him with it he'd made this face like he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

'Did you get that from Lightning?' he'd asked, and when Hope had said yes, he'd just shaken his head and said, 'Kid, you better realise the weight of what you're carrying there.'

Hope supposed he was beginning to realise; Light had her own way of doing things. He couldn't imagine her ever being coy and giggly like the girls at school, passing notes in class, or getting her friends to bug him during lunch. The more he thought about it, the more he became convinced that her attention meant something. He wasn't good with things like this, but he knew enough.

He also knew that their time was short, whether it ended with them in crystal stasis or as Cie'th. No one knew just how much time was left for any of them, and gaining the power of Alexander had given Hope new determination to stop waiting for someone else to make the hard decisions for him. He'd act on his own decisions, and face the consequences. He'd face Light head on, and find his answer.


End file.
